David Sedgwick

Gaggia, the Italian manufacturer of state-of-the-art coffee machines, is looking to grind out success at Royal Quays Outlet Centre in North Shields.

From automatic, manual and capsule, there are a host of options to choose from for discerning coffee drinkers in the region.

Store owner, Raj Beadle, said: “I have a real affinity with coffee.

“I actually started my career as an accountant but I am passionate about coffee and its phenomenal growth in popularity in recent years.

“This is now my fourth Gaggia store and we have identified three talented youngsters from the local area to work in the store.

“I am currently providing them with Barista training which is something we will look to also offer customers via an in-house course in the coming months.

“Gaggia is a very popular brand and I am delighted to open a store at Royal Quays.

“I have a very loyal customer base and people in the north east actually travel to my store in Castleford to get equipment for their machines, so now they do not have to travel as far.

“Within the store we offer taster coffees that customers can sample so they can select the correct coffee bean to take away with them.

“When purchasing a machine we also have a loyalty card enabling customers to receive free coffee within Gaggia stores and 10 per cent off coffee and accessories.”

Royal Quays centre manager, Judith Ramshaw, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Gaggia to the centre, it is renowned as an excellent distributor of coffee machines and this is a new offering for our customers.

“We now live in a coffee culture so we know that it will be a great success.

“Gaggia is an interesting, niche addition to the centre at a time when the retail sector as a whole is driving forward at pace.”